RUFFIN ENJOYING BREAKOUT YEAR AFTER A TOUGH START TO CAREER

Ezell Ruffin

Fresno St. at Aztecs

Saturday: 7:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium

On the air: ESPN2; 105.7-FM, 1090-AM

Ezell Ruffin concedes San Diego State is expecting a shootout this weekend at Qualcomm Stadium. The Aztecs’ receiving corps, however, isn’t as interested in answering No. 17 Fresno State’s high-octane offense as it is in conducting business as usual.

“We just have to go out there and play our game,” Ruffin said. “We can’t let anything get to us. We know what we can do. We know what we have to do. When we go out there, we just have to execute and make plays. Everybody is expected to make plays.”

Especially Ruffin, who is making more and more as he settles into his role as one of the Aztecs’ top weapons on offense.

The top returning receiver after hauling in 17 catches for 319 yards a year ago, Ruffin is taking another step toward seemingly sky-high potential. The 6-foot-1 junior has already posted a pair of 100-yard efforts, is ranked fifth in the Mountain West — and 49th in the nation — with 79.5 receiving yards per game and leads the Aztecs with 30 catches for 477 yards.

Better yet, the bulk of those catches are coming in crucial situations: 19 of them have been for first downs and his longest, 62 yards, came on his first career touchdown grab two weeks ago to help San Diego State rally for a 27-20 win over Air Force to run its conference record to 2-0.

“It came at the right time,” said Ruffin, a midseason third-team All-Mountain West Conference pick by Phil Steele. “It was a big touchdown for us in the game. … It was a great feeling to score. It was like a burden had been lifted off my shoulders.”

The source of that stress?

Most likely all the expectations that Ruffin brought to Montezuma Mesa after producing a heck of a highlight-reel tape as a do-it-all athlete at Long Beach Wilson High.

In fact, Ruffin was so athletic — so adept at the game — that when the Bruins lost their starting running back during Ruffin’s senior year they asked him to take over the position after starting the season at receiver.

All he did was lead Wilson with 758 yards and 12 touchdowns on 104 carries.

But Ruffin didn’t exactly hit the ground running at San Diego State. A concussion torpedoed the Aztecs’ plans to use him at running back his freshman season, which he ultimately redshirted, and poor grades the following year cost him his eligibility in 2011.

“It was hard; nobody wants to sit out a whole year,” Ruffin said. “It was a big learning experience. I needed to buckle down and take care of my business — not just on the field but off the field and in the classroom. I learned from that and I’ve been taking care of things and getting it right.”

Especially on the field.

Ruffin averaged 18.8 yards per catch when he finally got on the field last year (the most by an Aztec since current Charger Vincent Brown averaged 19.6 in 2011), turned in the biggest receiving day by an Aztec (132 yards vs. Army) and even played a stretch with a broken hand sustained in practice the week SDSU played Fresno State (“It wasn’t a big deal for me. I had a cast, but I could still catch,” Ruffin said).

This year, Ruffin, 21, is proving to be a reliable target for junior Quinn Kaehler as he settles in for his fifth start at quarterback. After all, it’s no coincidence that Kaehler has looked Ruffin’s way for 306 of his 1,015 passing yards over his last four starts.

“I think he’s a great player,” Kaehler said. “He runs very good routes. He always goes up and fights for the ball. You can count on him because he’ll always fight for the ball for you.”

And when Ruffin is fighting for the ball, he’s got a good chance to beat a defensive back.

“It’s good to see him emerge,” receivers coach LeCharls McDaniel said. “He’s going to go up against some good defensive backs (this weekend) and he has some growing still to do. But the work ethic has picked up. Everything in his game has picked up — and he needs to keep picking it up.”